


Peter's Plan

by egosoffire



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Dates, Fluff, M/M, Set Ups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 14:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18390464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egosoffire/pseuds/egosoffire
Summary: Peter knows nothing about relationships. He’s eighteen and while he’s dating Michelle, she’s his first girlfriend and he’s often wondering what he’s doing wrong. He’s a little socially awkward and clueless with people.Yet, he knows that Tony Stark is absolutely in love with Doctor Strange.(Ironstrange Bingo Prompt - Peter Parker)





	Peter's Plan

Peter knows nothing about relationships. He’s eighteen and while he’s dating Michelle, she’s his first girlfriend and he’s often wondering what he’s doing wrong. He’s a little socially awkward and clueless with people.

Yet, he knows that Tony Stark is absolutely in love with Doctor Strange.

Realization

He realizes it three days after his return, the day he reaches Earth. They are in the Avengers’ compound and they don’t notice him watching. They both wear scars of what they’d done and what they lost. Peter should focus on anything else, but he sees it in Tony’s eyes.

“You knew what would happen,” Tony whispers, the words full of a deep exhaustion.

Stephen’s eyes are lined with darkness and his hands shake, a subtle tremor, but one that Peter can see even from across the room. “I knew that the only chance the universe had rested with you, and the choices I knew you could make,” Stephen says. “I saw what kind of man you were and I believed in you.”

Tony says nothing, which for him is something rare. He looks at Strange for a long moment and then nods.

“Go, rest,” Stephen says. “Talk to Peter, since the kid is clearly spying on us right now.”

“Not spying!” Peter squeaks.

Questioning Tony, Part One.

Two weeks after his return, life is slowing going back towards normal. Well, not normal. Aunt May says nobody will ever let go, nobody is ever going to forget. Still, Peter’s sure they can reach something close to normal, a new normal.

He spends time with Tony, who looks better. He’s still thin, the scars of the battle both on his body and in his heart. Yet, he’s gained vitality, some color in his skin.

“Mr. Stark, have you seen Doctor Strange since we got home?”

Tony smiles, wearily and shakes his head. “No,” he says. “He says what happened has had a profound effect on the mystical realm as well. He and Wong are trying to regain balance, or some other wizardy mumbo jumbo.”

“Oh. Do you miss him?”

Tony raises an eyebrow and laughs. “Do I miss him?” he asks. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I just think...I think you two have a lot to talk about, after everything that happened.”

A pained look crosses Tony’s face, but it’s gone as quickly as it started.

“He wants peace,” Tony says. “If he can get any, I don’t want to be the one taking it away.”

“I think talking would be a good idea,” Peter replies, trying his best to be casual. He’s pretty sure, by the look on Mr. Stark’s face, that Tony does not buy it. “You guys went through a lot together and can help each other out. It’s a good idea. Trust me.”

Questioning Stephen, Part One.

Getting in contact with Doctor Strange is harder than it looks. It takes needling the Avengers to find the answers. He finds himself at the door to the Sanctum about three weeks after his return. Life is slowly returning to something resembling normal, but the air buzzes with what people lost and regained.

Peter is just trying to live again. Hang out and have family dinners with Aunt May, catch up with Ned and MJ and just move on.

Yet, Stephen. He has to talk to Stephen Strange.

So, he knocks.

The sorcerer is immediately at the door, a look of real concern on his face.

“Peter,” Stephen asks, “what’s wrong? Is Tony okay?”

Peter smiles awkwardly. “Um, yeah, he’s okay,” he promises. “Can I come in?”

The Sanctum is terrifying and the entire place seems designed to send Peter into a sensory overload. There’s just too much to look at, tiny little sounds coming from the artifacts, and a buzzing feeling - magic, all around him.

“How are you?” Peter asks.

Stephen turns to him and he can see that the weeks have not been easy on the sorcerer. His eyelids look heavy; he appears as though he could benefit from like a week’s nap.

“Things have been busy,” Stephen says, in that tone adults use when downplaying their problems to children. “The recovery has left many realms damaged.”

“I’m sorry you have so much work to do,” Peter replies, feeling so awkward, so uncomfortable. “Have you talked to Mr. Stark at all since you left the compound?”

Stephen’s eyes narrow and he looks so concerned. “Is he all right?” Stephen asks. “I have been concerned about him, but I wanted to give him a little bit of time to adjust.”

“I think he misses you.”

Doctor Strange’s facial expression is enough to tell him he’s onto something. It both softens and hardens at the same time.

“Does he?”

“Do you miss him too?”

Stephen nods, an almost imperceptible nod.

Questioning Tony, Part Two

Over a month after his return, life finds a way. He catches up on school, spends time with the people he loves and start dating MJ. Peter doesn’t even realize that he’s dating her until she calls him her boyfriend.

Time goes by and he decides he needs to check in on Mr. Stark and Doctor Strange.

“Did you meet up with Doctor Strange?” he asks Tony.

A clear blush crosses his mentor’s face. “Yeah, we spent a little time together; he’s doing well.”

Peter nods at that, flashing Tony a smile. “Great,” he says. “That’s perfect.”

Questioning Stephen, Part Two

“Are you and Mr. Stark dating?”

Stephen sputters at his words, coughing on them like they physically pain him. “I...no, why would you say that?” he asks, voice barely a whisper. 

“You’ve been spending a lot of time at his place,” Peter points out. “I know, because I have eyes inside.”

“We’re not…”

“Are you going to ask?”

Stephen looks down at his hands. Peter sees the faint trembling. “I don’t know if I can,” the sorcerer admits, confessing that there is something going on between the two. “I mean, I’ve thought about it, and we’ve spent plenty of time together...but an actual date?”

“I’ll set it up. Just you wait.”

The Set Up

Peter enlists help in setting up the date. First, he strategize with his girlfriend and his best friend. They draw out an idea.

“Their compound has a roof access point. Perfect place to set up a dinner date.”

Peter looks at Michelle.

“How did you know that?”

“Read the blueprints,” she quips in a way that dares him to question her wisdom. “I got bored.”

Ned nods.

“Okay, but the question is how to get inside the tower without being suspicious, and how to get Stark and Strange there.”

Then, he gets access to the tower. Happy is dating his aunt now, which is creepy as hell, but useful. That gets him into the compound without Tony noticing.

As he and Michelle set up the table, they are caught by Colonel Rhodes, Tony’s best friend and someone who will totally snitch.

Getting Caught

“What’s all of this, Peter?”

Peter looks at MJ, hoping that his girlfriend has an excuse, but she doesn’t. Instead, she does what Michelle Jones does best. She is absolutely honest.

“We’re setting up a date for Tony Stark and Doctor Strange,” she says. “Peter will call them both over here when it’s ready.”

Rhodey looks over the dinner table set up. It’s a tiny little table covered with a red table cloth. On the table are two place settings and an unlit candle.

“Who cooked?” he asked.

“We ordered from Mr. Stark’s favorite Italian place,” Peter says. “I wanted to cook, but Michelle argued against that…”

“Too much risk.”

“When?” Rhodey asks, looking around with a conspiratory grin.

“I’m going to get the food at six.”

“All right. I’m in.”

Action

Peter watches the phone call between Tony and Rhodey with a grin, amazed that Tony’s closest friend is actually in on the conspiracy.

“Tones, I’m on the roof,” Rhodey says. “I want you to look at something.”

He pauses.

“I don’t know what it is. You’re the mechanical genius. It’s in the lights, the wiring.”

He smirks at Peter.

“Tony, I could call a mechanic, but I want to see you. Come on. Do I have to get sentimental and say I miss you?”

“Hurry.”

He hangs up and nods.

Peter lights the candle at the center of the table. Then, he calls up Doctor Stange, who he actually had to beg to get contact information.

“Can you come to the compound?” he asks. “The roof? Mr. Stark needs your help…”

The portal opens in two seconds.

Success

Tony arrives on the roof just as Stephen steps through the portal and it closes behind him.

“What did you need?” Stephen asks. He looks disheveled, worried, and then he spots the candle.

Peter grins and holds out his phone. MJ and Ned couldn’t stay to watch it happened, so he’d agreed to record their reactions, just for their eyes only. Rhodey is watching from the stairwell, so quiet that nobody would notice his presence.

Tony passes Rhodey and frowns. “What is…”

Peter springs into action. “It’s a date,” he explains. “Extra food and dessert is on the counter near the stairs. Have fun.”

Stephen and Tony’s eyes lock and Peter knows he’s done it. He rushes past Rhodey, whizzing down the stairs before either man can do anything but enjoy their date. “Bye now.”

Success!

 


End file.
